The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-06-02
NEW T1nE

Ll1YsINIaELl1IGENCE
ANEW FIRE MACHINE.
AsModtrn Heck and Ladder Truck ssiected
Inst Evsninga
The Board Of Police and Fite Commits.
nioneis met Last evening and decided to
award the contract for the new hook and
ladder truck, which Council recently au.
thorizsd the Board 70 purchase, to the
Fire EItinguishing Manufacturing Com.
puny Of Chicago. Tho Board received ten
bids Tor iurnlshing O truck. These were
opened at q meeting held last week.
Since then the members Of the Board have
been carefully studying the advantages
combined In the several styles OF trucks
offered with q view to getting the beat,
The one finally decided on Ia the unsnim.
Gus choice Of the Board, Chief Dunninp
and all who have taken an active interest
In tho matter and looked into the relative
merits Of the various patterns.
The company manufacturer the famous
Babcock eKtingulshera and chemical
engines. vi
Tho truck that It Ia 10 furnish this city
Ia oil the style known as"General Seryice.h
There Is hardly O department In the coun.
try that has not one or more Of them, and
every where they have been used they
have given satisfaction.
The truck with Its fall equipment will
weigh $3.50 pounds, and tho contract
price, delivered In the hook and ladder
house, alter being tested and found satis-
factory, Is Sl,075. AT these terms the
contract 10 considered a most excellent me,
The truck Is to BIO delivered seventy days
from the receipt Of the contract.
THE EQUIPMENT.
The equipment will consist OF one sew.
enty foot extension ladder with swivel,
union joint supports, phosphor.bronze
wire cable, two cranks and safety clutch
dogs; regular ladders, So, 80, Is, %, Is and
Il feet In length; one l5.foot and one 12.
loot ladder with roof ironB; two ll.foot
supports; three pompier ladders, 10, IA
and Is feet in length. These are the lad.
dsra made famous by their use by the
New York department. They are made Of
one stick with a huge steel hook on one
end, and short rungs projecting from the
sides. They are light and easily
handled. The hook Ia thrust Through q
window or ovOr o c~ornice, the fireman
ascending by means oil the short n
carrying with him another ladder, BY
means OF which he reaches still another
story. They are. very. valuable where
quick work is necessary, and the Chicago
company Is the only one furnishing these
ladders with their trucks. There are also
three pompier belts and snaps-to DO
used by the tiremen on these ladders to
prevent their falling and at the same time
allow them to worki.l75 feet OF MANILA
rope with hooks to pull hose up and hose
holders; three pompier hatchets; four
hooked poles; one large steel hook, pole,
chain and rope; four polished lanterns for
general use, 30 constructed that they can
not be e1tinguished by jarting; two Of
the sams kind on the drivers seat Tor sig
nal lights; two swinging torches in front
OF pilot's seat; four rubber fire buckets;
one l5.inch gong; one tool box and a
large wire basket for carrying gum and
coats; two copper polished Babcock fire
extinguishers, each with twelve feet Of
hose and two extra box charges; one
Fancher Detroit door opener-.by means
Of which q door Is opened by tremendous
pressure, and yet no marks are left, aud
glass is not broken; one crowbar, four fine
axes, two pitchiorks, two shovels and two
brooms, and all the small tools needed by
truckmen.
80 ET3s5f ira ~ EE-4
The truck combines great strength aud
lightness, and instead Of being top.heayy,
is so arranged that 1t cannot upset.
There are single seats for the driver and
pilot, nicely cushioned and provided with
guard rails. The men ride on platforms
on either side Of the truck, holding on by
means OF a polished brass rod. They can
jump on or ~offeasily, as the platforms are
only about twenty inches from tho
ground.
The bottom ladder is bat IS inches and
the upper ladder 70 inches from the
ground. There are brakes on the front
wheels, applied by the driver, and which.
ever way the wheels are turned the brakes
hold. The steering apparatus is the lever
steering turn table patented by E. F..
Steck in November, 1884. The pilot con.
trolls the rear wheels by means Of two
levers. There is no steering wheel to be
removed on arriving at a fire, nor iron rod
running down through the ladders. The
pilot reaches his seat by means OF iron
steps in the rear.
The ladders are held in such O manner
that any one can be taken out without
touching or removing any other. This
is a valuable feature, and calculated to
save much time. The ladders run on
rollers and are taken out from the rear.
The frame work is OF iron and steel
combined. 1t is arched in front, which
allows 49i inch wheels to be used in front
and OH inch in the rear. The truck rests
on a series Of springs that make it ride as
easy as a carriage. The ladders are to be
made Of Oregon pine and ash. They will
be painted blue with black ends. The
truck will be painted in English yermilIion,
striped with gold. It will be a
handsome and graceful machine that the
Department and city may well be
proud Of.
KENNEDY i WHITES
Biz 10 Cent Show will Exhibit on Cnidwelrs